Receptacle or case for thermometers



INVENTO Soul@ e' A TToRNEY June 28,1927.`

G. B. IRELAND ET AL RECEPTACLE OR CASE FOR THERMOMETERS Filed Jan. 16. 1925 Patented June 28, 192'?.

STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORG-E B. IRELAND AND ROE T. SOULE, OF ROCHESTER, NE YORK, ASSIGNORS TO TAYLOR INSTRUMENT COMPANIESLOF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

RECEPTACLE OR CASE FOR THERMOMETERS.

Application led January 16, 1925. Serial No. 2,867.

The present invention relates to receptacles or cases for thermometers and the like and has for an object to improve receptacles of this kind and particularly to afford iinprovements in receptacles embodying a plurality of connected sections With closures therefor adjustable as a unit, together With improved means adapted to facilitatevthe operation and maintenance of theclosures upon the receptacles proper.

A 'further object of the invention is'to provide a plurality of unitary container sections and unitary closurestherefor with improved means having the dual functions of retaining the closures upon the sections and affording a clasp for securing the receptacles within the pocket of the user or upon any suitable form of support to Which it may be desired to attach the same.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a compact, economically constructed and conveniently operated case or receptacle 'for holding a plurality of clinical thermometers or the like which is preferably intended to be carried in the pocket of the user, but which is also serviceable for the purpose provided regardless of its use as a holder for pocket instruments.

To these and other ends the invention resides in certain improvements and combinations of parts7 all as will be hereinafter` more fully described, the novel fea-tures being pointed out in the claims at the end of the specification.

ln the drawings Figure 1 is a front elevation of a receptacle embodying one form of the invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the saine;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 with the closures moved to a position from which they may be swung as indicated by dotted lines to permit withdrawal of the instruments from the receptacles.

Figure Ll is an enlarged sectional ele-vatioinr taken centrally of the casings andillustrating the manner of supporting the thermometers therein.

Figure 5 is a sectional plan taken on line l5L-5 of Figure 1; and

Figure 6 is a sectional plan taken on line (ill-4S of Figure l.

Similar reference numerals throughout the several views indicate the same parts.

ln the present embodiment of the invention a plurality of casings or receptacles are provided embodying a unitary section comprising the tubes l0 and 11 and a unitary closure section embodying the caps or closures l2 and 13 therefor7 respectively. The casing tubes and closures are constructed of any suitable materiall such as thin sheet metal and are each provided with a coating of enamel which may be of different colors for distinguishing the character or particular use for which the thermometers or other articles carried therein are intended.

rThe casings 10 and 11 are provided at one end with bands 1st and 15 which are united to connect the casings preferably by soldering as indicated at 1G in Figure 6. The casings are also connected at their opposite ends, preferably by the bands 17 and 18 which are also secured one to another by soldering as indicated at 19 and 2O in Figure 5. This method of connecting the tubes permits them to be brought relatively close together7 plied only on opposite sides of the adjoin ing surfaces of the tube as shown. How ever, any other suitable connecting means for the tubes may be provided if desired. The closures 12 and 13 are also preferably connected by a pair of. bands 21 and 22 which are united by soldering in the manner indicated in Figure 5. The bands 17 Vand 21 are provided with looped extensions 23 and 2%? respectively, which are projected preferably to a point midway between the tubes in spaced relation thereto as shown in Figures 1 and 5, for a purpose hereinafter set forth. The looped extension Q4 has one. end of a retaining member Z5 secured there.-l in which is preferably in the 'form of a stem while the extension 23 forms a guide 'for said member, the free end of which isY pro-y vided With a head or suitable enlargement 26 for limiting the outward movement of the stem and thus preventing accidental loss of the closure unit from the case. The stem also forms a guide for the closure unit in returning thel latter to closing position and facilitates the insertion of the closure unit upon the ends 2T of the casing tubes 10 and 11/` said ends being beveled as indicated at 28 to further facilitate the insertion of the closure unit thereon.

The head 26 of the stem is adapted during the insertion of the closure unit upon the since the soldering material is apy casing unit to engage suitable means for effecting an outward thrust of the free end of the stem and a consequent deflection of the stem so that a binding action will be afforded between the sleeve and that portion of the stem therein, whereby to afi'ord in effect clamping means for holding the closure unit upon the casing unit. Any suitable means may be provided for this purpose, such as the plate 29, interposed between the tubes l0 and ll, which is preferably in the form of a bowed spring adapted to project slightly beyond the tubes` l0 and ll for a purpose hereinafter set forth. The plate 29 is suitably connected with the bands 17 and 18 as by soldering and its free end tapers to extend inwardly into engagement with the walls of the tubes 10 and il as indicated at 30 in Figures l and 6, said tapered end being free to slide upon said wall when slightly depressed b y the stem 25 as when the latter is moved inwardly from the position shown in Figure 3. The stem 25 and spring plate 29 are adapted to engage the outer and inner surfaces, respectively, of the pocket wall to securely hold the case within the pocket of the user, although these members cooperate to maintain the closure unit upon the casing unit regardless of Whether the receptacle is carried Yithin or without the pocket. However, the tapered head on the stem 25 and the slight projection of the springs beyond the walls of the casing, together with the fact that the spring is inclined inwardly from its point of engagement with the head as indicated at 3l in Figure 2, facilitates the application of the receptacle to the pocket wall as will be readily understood. The spring also tends to force the head outwardly, thus acting to press the stem against the inner face of the outer wall of the loop 23 whereby the closure unit is more firmly held upon the casing member, the stem 25 being more or less yieldable and adapted to assume its normal position when freed as indicated in Figure 8, it being understood that the opening of the loop 28 is made slightly larger than the diameter of the stem to afford the best results in the use of the receptacle.

The closure unit may easily be withdrawn to the position indicated by full lines in Figure 3 and then rotated about the airis of the stem to th-e dotted line position in order that either one or both of the .thermometers 32 and or other articles carried by the receptacle may readily be withdrawn at will.

The thermometers are yi-eldably supported within the casing by any suitable mea-ns, such as the recessed holders 34 which are carried by the springs 35 supported by the yoke-shaped members 36 which are preferably eXtended to a point adjacent the top of the casing as indicated in Figure t.

The outer ends of the thermometers are engaged and held by a yieldable packing material 87 disposed within the closure elements l2 and 13 as shown in Figure el.

The several bands upon the closure and casing units are secured thereon preferably by striking outwardly at the desired points the material of the several sections as best indicated at 38 in Figures 4 and 5.

7e claim as our invention:

l. ln a device of the class described, a container unit defining two sections, a closure unit defining two cap sections, a slidable connection between the two units, symmetrically disposed relatively to the sections of each unit, said connection permitting relative axial and rotary movement of the units, and means for acting upon the sliding connection, when the closure unit is in clos'ng position, to resist disengagement of the units. e

2. ln a device of the class described. a container unit embodying a plurality of sections, a closure unit embodying a plurality of sections, of a stem carried by the closure units, and a spring carried by the container units upon which the stem is adapted to slide to norm-ally prevent accidental displacement of one unit upon the other, said stem being arranged to function as a clasp for securing the receptacle within the pocket of a user.

3. In a. device of the character described, a container unit embodying a plurality of sections, a closure unit embodying a plurality of sections, a guide upon one of the units, a stem upon the other unit adapted to frictionally engage sai-d guide, and a member upon the guide carrying unit adapted to cooperate with the stem to maintain it in frictional engagement with the guide.

GEORGE B. IRELAND. ROE T. SOULE. 

